Electric-railway system.



PATENTED MAY 19, 1908.

s. 0. FRBY. ELEGTRIG- RAILWAY SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 28. 1906.

2 SHEETS--SHEET l.

PATENTED MAY 19, 1908.

S. O. FREY. ELECTRIC RAILWAY SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 28, 1,906.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

nu: NORRIS pzrxns co., WASHINGTON, n. c.

SAMUEL C. FREY, OF YORK, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC-RAILWAY SYSTEM.

Application filed November 28, 1906.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL C. FREY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of York, county of York, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric-Railway Systems, of which the following is a full and clear specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a diagram of a portion of a trolley electric railway showing one arrangement of my invention applied thereto Fig. 2 asimilar diagram showing more clearly the relative arrangement of the signal boxes, the signal box numbered 2 and the signal box numbered 1* being enlarged and opened to better show the circuits; and Figs. 3 and 4 and 5 detail views of a rotary circuit breaker used in each signal box.

The object of this invention is to provide a car-stopping and signaling block system especially adapted for single track electric railways of the trolley type and the third rail as well as the underground systems, means being provided whereby each car or train or group of cars or trains as it'proceeds preempts a section of the road and prevents oncoming or succeeding cars or trains from entering the preempted block until it is clear, said means being adapted to supplement the usual signaling devices and to eliminate entirely the human element of danger by practically putting it out of the power of the motorman to pass into a preempted block whether or not he desires to do so,thus providing the maximum degree of safety.

I have shown my invention applied to single track roads but it will be obvious that in its broader aspects the invention is applicable to double track roads.

In the preferred form for single track roads my invention consists in dividing up the conductor of the motive current, whether it be a trolley wire or a third rail, into a series of sections E whose opposite ends are split into two branches E the ends of which branches are adjacent to the two turnout sections E These turn-out sections of the conductor are normally dead, being isolated from the main conductor by any suitable means, the cur rent being carried around each turnout by a loop E which loop of course is in such position that it will not be traversed normally by the current-collecting wheel or shoe.

A series of signal boxes 1,1 etc., is arranged along one side of the roadbed for Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 19, 1908.

Serial No. 345,461.

- trains going from the right to the left, and a similar but reversed series of signal boxes 2, 2 etc., is arranged on the opposite side of the roadbed for trains going from the left to the right. These signal boxes are located respectively at convenient points near the beginning of the respective dead sections of the turnouts, so that each box may be conveniently seen by the motorman as he approaches each turn-out. Each of the dead sections E of the conductor is connected through its adjacent signal box to any convenient normally alive part of the main conductor by means of a branch E These branch circuits which go to the signal boxes are each adapted to be closed to electrify its connected isolated section E by means of an armature B adapted to be raised when an adjacent magnet B is energized, said armature being adapted to be normally locked and held up by means of a depending hookedarinature O, which latter is adapted to be released from armature B to break circuit E when a magnet C is energized. The same arrangement or any equivalent arrangement for making and breaking circuits Ff is provided in each of the boxes. At each signal box the live conductor is tapped by a wire E which supplies, through a resistance coil or rheostat E the current required for energizing the magnets.

Conveniently arranged in the branch E which precedes each dead section is arranged a series of five circuit closers which are adapted to be automatically closed in succession as a car approaches the dead section from the main line, and in the branch E extending from the end of the dead section to the main line are two more circuit closers. These circuit closers may be of any suitable construction and may be arranged to be operated by a trolley wheel or harp or any other suitable part of the car. The series of circuit closers in what may be conveniently termed the lower turn-outs are designated in their order by U, D, F, A, B, C, and G, and the series in each of the upper turn-outs are designated in their order by the same letters and in the same order.

The circuits controlled by each of these circuit closers or contacts may be best described by describing what takes place as a car or group of cars traveling in a group traverses the system: Assuming a car to be traveling from the left to the right it first closes U and D, but as these are restoring devices the effect of passing over them Will be better understood after the description of the other circuit closers. In closing F, circuit F is closed, one branch of which leads to ground by a separate wire, as shown, or through the trolley-pole, and the other branch to adjacent box 2, where it connects with resistance coil E through magnet F The energizing of magnet F attracts hook armature F and allows armature F to fall thereby closing a gap in the outgoing branch of line circuit A and opening the incoming branch A of said circuit. In closing A the circuit A is closed, one branch of which circuit leads to the adjacent signal box 2, the other branch being connected to ground by a separate wire, as shown, or down through the trolley-pole, as may be preferred. The branch leading to the box passes through the box and on up the roadway and across to E in box 1 through branch A. In passing through box 1 from E the current energizes magnet A thereby lifting armature A and breaking one branch of line circuit B and closing another branch of circuit B by bringing said armature A into contact engagement with hook armature A.

When the car passes over B circuit B is closed, which brings current from E in box 1 through armatures A and A and magnet B and circuit-breaking wheel B in box 1 and thence through line portion of circuit B into box 2 through the incoming branch of circuit B; in box 2 the current passes through magnets B and B thence to circuit closer B and thence to ground through a separate wire, as shown, or'through the trolley-pole and its connections. The energizing of magnet B sets the semaphore to safety, its normal position being that of danger, and the energizing of magnet B closes circuit E which supplies current to the deadsection E and thus allows the car to traverse the same. In passing through box 1 the current energizes B thus attracting its armature B and rotating circuit-breaking wheel B one notch, said armature B acting as a pawl for this purpose. The wheel B is so constructed that when it is thus rotated it breaks the outgoing branch of circuit B.

As shown, the wheel B consists of alternating teeth or segments of conducting and non-conducting material, one series being at each face of the wheel, and the conducting teeth or segments at each side being electrically connected but insulated from the conducting teeth or sections at the opposite side of the wheel. connected to this wheel by a depending contact finger B which rests upon the top of the wheel and isbifurcated so that it will always have one of its branches upon a non-conducting tooth and its other branch upon a conducting tooth of the wheel. The pawl armature B has its spring pawl portion bearing One end of circuit B is- F ig. 2, the contact finger B and pawl B are on conducting teeth at one side of the wheel and thus are electrically connected, but when the wheel is rotated one tooth by a car pass ing over B the contact finger and the pawl are brought to bear upon non-conducting teeth and the circuit is thus broken at this point.

The passage of the motive current through E energizes a magnet E in any suitable manner as, for instance, by choking a part of the current out of a normally dead branch of E, by inserting a resistance in said dead branch, as shown in Fig. 2, or by other suitable means. The energizing of E breaks circuit C by attracting an armature E this circuit remaining broken so long as current is passing through E, that is, so long as a car is taking current from E, for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

Immediately after the car leaves E the armature E is thereby released and permitted to close circuit C the car passes over circuit closer C which sends an electric impulse from E in box 2 out'through magnets C C and C to said circuit closer and thence to ground through a separate wire or otherwise. The energizing of C attracts 0 and thereby releases the signal and allows it to assume its normal danger position. The

energizing of 'C releases armature B and allows the same to normally break the supply circuit E thus restoring E to its normally dead state. The energizing of C attracts armature F and reengages it with hook armature F thus breaking the outgoing branch of A at F and simultaneously closing incoming branch A of said circuit A.

If a car be closely following the car whose movements we have been following, as is the case when cars or trains are moving in uncoupled groups on the same block, the second car must be brought on E before first car reaches C, as in that way cessation of current through IE will be prevented and consequently the circuit C will remain open at E and the passage of the first car over C will have no effect. In this way cars or trains may travel in groups or parties without interfering with each other and in perfect safety, and disastrous arcing by breaking while current is flowing therethrough is avoided The passage over G closes circuit G which preferably is entirely metallic. This circuit G goes to box 2 and one branch is connected to E and the other branch to outgoing branch of circuit B, so that the closing of the circuit at G sends a current out through line and thence through magnet G to ground. This energizes G and raises pawl armature G and thus rotates toothed wheel Gr one tooth or notch to the left, thus moving contact finger G to the left and breaking circuit D at K. A contact finger G engaging the lower side of wheel B engages the teeth or segments at the opposite side from the set engaged by armature pawl B, and this finger G is so arranged that whenever B is brought to a non-conducting tooth this finger G will be caused to contact with a conducting tooth on the opposite side of the wheel thus establishing metallic connection with the bifurcated contact finger B After traversing the block the car we are following then passes over circuit closer U one branch of whose circuit U runs to ground in a suitable way and the other branch into box 1, through magnet U therein, and thence to the current source E The energizing of U attracts pawl armature U and rotates wheel Gr back far enough to the right to cause G to make contact at K and thus close the restoring circuit D. Then upon passing over D circuit D is enlivened and magnets D and D are energized, the former attracting armature 4 and thus allowing A to close the incoming branch of B and simultaneously break the outgoing branch thereto. The energizing of D causes armature B to turn wheel B another notch and thus bring B into metallic connection with B and thereby close the gap 1n circuit B made when the car passed over B.

finger (Jr In this way the block just passed over is restored to normal condition and is free to be used by trains going in either direction.

The object of circuit closers G and U and the wheel G is to enable cars or trains to run in groups without inconvenience or danger. If a group of cars be traveling together each car as it passes over G will move wheel G one tooth to the left so that restoring circuit cannot be closed at K until as many cars pass over U as previously passed over G, thus eliminating all possibility of rendering circuit B operative until all the cars of the group or party have passed out of the block.

It will thus be seen that in running to the right a car, after restoring through circuit U and D the normal conditions in the block behind, will close A, thus closing one branch of B at A in box 1 and also break the other branch of circuit B at A It will therefore be impossible for a car approaching box 1 from the other direction to either effect any change in the conditions in box 1 or to get current into the dead section E over which it must pass to get beyond the first turn-out. As the car going to the left approaches 1 the motorman will be apprised of the prempting of the next preceding block the closing of circuit at B to raise or otherwise set the semaphore arm in 1. at safety by the failure of i and he will then stop his car before entering upon the dead section E but should he disregard the signal and pass onto the dead section his car would be stopped for the want of current. Should the car by any mischance become stalled on the dead section it may, after waiting the proper length of time, be moved off the same either by swinging its trolley over onto the connecting portion E of l the normally-alive conductor or an attendant may go to the adjacent signal box and manually close E circuit by simply raising armature B These normally dead sections will usually be made long enough and of the proper grade to bring a car to a standstill by inertia when deprived of current. The sections E of the main conductor at the beginning of each turnout are desirably made sufficiently long to accommodate two or more cars so that two or more cars may stand on each of these branches until the on coming car passes off the preceding block. It is obvious that the same operations take effect in the reverse order when a car going to the left approaches each turnout, so that it will be impossible for two cars traveling at a distance apart to get on the same block at one time. .It will be observed also that it will be impossible for an oncoming car unless in a group with first car to pass onto a section preempted by a preceding car since the passing of a car overB breaks the connected circuit B and B, thus killing this circuit B until that car reaches the next succeeding circuit closer D and closes B at B by energizing magnet D and it is obvious that the same operations are effected by the passage of a car over the circuit closers B and D in going in the opposite direction.

It will be observed that if circuit A is disrupted at any point, the circuit B will not be closed at A so that the car coming from the left will not get a clear signal when it reaches B and will therefore be apprised of the fact that either the preceding block is preempted or the apparatus is out of order; breakage of circuit B has a similar effect. Breakage of circuit C would leave the block open for a following car and also leave a clear signal at box 2 but as this circuit is a short local one the liability of disarrangement is very re mote, and anyhow the conductor could by looking back see whether the signal had been set to danger.

The danger of breakage of circuit D is also tion would obviously bring the system to a standstill until extraordinary means were adopted to repair it.

thus fully described my invention, Letters \infinitesimal but should it break its disrup- Having what I claim and i Patent, is

1. In a system of the type set forth, a se- 1 ries of live conductor sections constituting blocks, each of these sections being divided desire to secure by to restore the circuits to normal in the into two branches at each turnout, two normally dead conductor sections at each turn out extending between the respective branches, normally open circuits connecting these normally dead sections with an adjacent live conductor, line-circuits in each block, aseries of circuit closers in each branch of the live conductor leading to the beginning of the normally dead section, and electrical devices connected to said circuit closers and adapted to successively restore the circuits to normal in the block behind and to render inoperative the line circuits in the block immediately preceding and to close the current supplying section connected to the dead section immediately ahead, and another circuit closer in the branch immediately succeeding each normally dead section, and electrical devices connected with this latter circuit closer for breaking the aforesaid current supplying circuit.

2. In a system of the type set forth, a series of live conductor sections constituting blocks each of these sections being divided into two branches at each turnout, two normally-dead conductor sections at each turnout extending between the respective branches, a normally open circuit connect ing each of these normally-dead sections with an adjacent live conductor, line-circuits in each block, a signal near the beginning of each normally dead section of conductor, a series of circuit closers in each branch of the live conductor leading to the beginning of the normally dead section, electrical devices connected to said circuit closers and adapted block behind and to render inoperative the line circuits in the block immediately preceding and to close the current-supplying section connected to the dead section immediately ahead, another circuit-closer, as C, in the branch immediately succeeding each normally dead section, and electrical devices connected with this latter circuit-closer for restoring the signal to danger and breaking the aforesaid current-supplying circuit.

3. In a system of the type set forth, a series of live conductor sections constituting blocks, each of these sections being divided into two branches at each turnout, two normally dead conductor sections at each turnout extending between the respective branches, normally open circuits connecting these normally dead sections with an adjacent live conductor, line-circuits in each block, a series of circuit closers in each branch of the live conductor leading to the beginning of the normally dead section, and electrical devices connected to said. circuit closers and adapted to successively restore the circuits to normal in the block behind and to render inoperative the line circuits in the block immediately preceding and to close the current supplying section connected to the dead section immediately ahead, this latter circuit embodying means for immediately breaking itself after closing the current supplying section, and another circuit closer in the branch immediately suc ceeding each normally dead section, and electrical devices connected with this latter circuit closer for breaking the aforesaid current supplying circuit.

l. In a railway system of the type set forth, a series of normally alive conductor sections constituting blocks, a turnout between the adjacent ends of each section, each turnout embodying a pair of normally dead conductor sections connected to the main current supply by a normally open supply circuit, line-circuits in each block, contact devices near the beginning of each normally dead section and electrical devices connected therewith for restoring the circuits to normal in the block behind and rendering inoperative the line circuits in the block immediately preceding and also closing the current supply connected to the said dead section immediately ahead, and a circuit closer at the end of each dead section and electrical devices connected thereto for breaking the aforesaid current supply circuit.

5. In a railway system of the type set forth, a series of normally alive conductor sections constituting blocks, a turnout between the adjacent ends of each section, each turnout embodying a pair of normally dead conductor sections connected to the main current supply by a normally open supply circuit, line-circuits in each block, contact devices near the beginning of each normally dead section and electrical devices connected therewith for restoring the circuits to normal in the block behind and rendering inoperative the line circuits in the block immediately preceding and also closing the current supply connected to the said dead section immediately ahead, a contact device at the end of each dead section and electrical devices embodying a restoring circuit connected thereto for breaking the aforesaid current supply circuit, and a device in this restoring circuit actuated by the passage of current through said supply circuit for rendering said restoring circuit inoperative while current is passing in said supply circuit.

6. Ina system of the type set forth, a series of live conductor sections constituting blocks, each of these sections being divided into two branches at each turnout, two normally dead conductor sections at each turnout extending between the respective branches, normally open circuits connecting these normally dead sections with an adjacent live conductor, line-circuits in each block, a series of circuit closers in each branch of the live conductor leading to the beginning of the normally dead section, and electrical devices connected to said circuit closers and adapted successively to restore the circuits to normal in the block behind and to render inoperative the line circuits in the block immediately preceding and to close the current supplying section connected to the dead section immediately ahead, this latter circuit embodying a rotary circuit breaker adapted to immediately break this circuit after closing the current supply circuit, and another circuit closer in the branch immediately succeeding said normally dead section and electrical devices connected therewith for breaking the aforesaid current supply circuit, said rotary circuit breaker being restored to normal by the devices connected to one of the circuit closers in the aforesaid series.

7. In a railway car-stopping block-system, a car, a series of live trolley conductors separated at their ends, a normally-dead trolley conductor between the adjacent ends of each two adjacent live conductors, the live conductors being electrically connected around each of these normally dead conductors, means at the end of each block whereby the car as it approaches each of said dead conductors will automatically enliven it and also render inoperative the enlivening means in the preceding block, and means whereby the car on leaving each of the normally dead conductors will automatically restore the same to normal.

8. In a railway car-stopping block-system, a car, a series of live trolley conductors separated at their ends, a normally dead trolley conductor between the adjacent ends of each two adjacent live conductors, the live conductors being electrically connected around each of these normally dead conductors, means at the end of each block whereby the car as it approaches each of said dead conductors will automatically enliven it and also render inoperative the enlivening means in the preceding block, and means whereby the car on leavingeach of the normally dead conductors will automatically restore the same to normal, and means for automatically preventing this restoring action while current is passing through the normally dead section.

9. In a railway car-stopping block system of the type set forth, a car, a series of live conductor sections constituting blocks, each of these sections being divided into two branches at each turnout, two normally dead conductor sections at each turnout extending between the respective branches, normally open circuits connecting these normally dead sections with an adjacent live conductor, a series of five circuit closers in the branch leading to each dead section and electrical circuits and devices connected therewith whereby a car approaching the dead section on a branch will automatically restore normal conditions in the devices and circuits behind and render inoperative the current supply devices in the block ahead and also close the current supply devices connected to the dead section immediately ahead, and circuit closing devices in the branch leading from each dead section and devices connected thereto for restoring the current supply devices to normal open position.

10. In a railway car-stopping block system of the class set forth, a car, a series of live block conductors, a normally dead conductor section between each pair ofliveconductors, circuit closing means at the end of each block and electrical controlling devices connected thereto whereby a car about to leave a block and enter upon a dead section will automatically restore to normal the controlling devices in the block behind and will render inoperative the controlling devices at the far end of the block immediately ahead and will turn the current into the dead section immediately ahead, and circuit closing devices at the beginning of each block and means connected thereto for restoring the current supply devices to normal, for the purpose set forth.

11. In a railway car-stopping block system of the class set forth, a car, a series of normally live conductor sections, a normally dead conductor section between each two adj acent live conductor sections, normally open current supply devices connecting each dead section to the live conductor, circuit closing means at the end of each block section and electrical devices connected thereto for rendering inoperative the controlling devices of the block lmmediately ahead and closing the current supply to the dead section immediately ahead, these devices embodying a circuit and means for breaking itself, circuit closing devices at the head. of each block and operable by a car only on entering a block and electrical devices connected thereto for restoring the current supply of the dead section immediately behind to normal open, and an additional circuit closer at the end of each block and electric devices connected thereto for closing the aforesaid circuitbreaker, these devices including a step-bystep circuit breaker, and means operatively connected thereto whereby each car on entering a block will open this step-by-step breaker one step and on leaving a block will close it one step, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses this 24th day of November 1906.

SAMUEL O. FREY.

Witnesses:

RoBT. S. FREY, McOLEAN SrooK. 

